1862 – The Confederate Territory of Arizona was formed. 1865 – The Battle of Fort Moultrie, SC, was fought.

1896 – The first demonstration of an x-ray machine in the US, NYC was held.

1943 – Jews in the Warsaw ghetto begin open resistance of Nazis during WWII. 1943 – Pre-sliced bread sale was banned to reduce bakery demand for metal parts. 1943 – The Soviets announced that they broke the long Nazi siege of Leningrad

1957 – Three American B-52’s, set the record for around-the-world flight, in 45 hours 19 minutes.

As wax melts because of the flame, so the will the ungodly be destroyed in the presence of God!

But the just or lawful man will be glad; they will jump with joy before God;

They will be exceedingly joyful!

Sing to God, sing praises to his name;

Lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;

His name is the Lord; jump with joy before him!

He is the Father of the orphan and advocate of widows, God in his holy habitation.

God seats the widow in a home; he leads out the captives to freedom,

But the rebellious dwell in a parched land

O God, when you brought out your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah!

The Psalmist David begins this psalm with a picture and reminder of the greatness of God. He declares that His enemies or those that rebel against Him will be destroyed and will run from His presence. As wax from a candle melts they will be destroyed by the presence of God. Peter reminds us of this because at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth all will be destroyed by fire. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; and the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat.” (2 Peter 3:10-12)

But then the Psalmist contrasts this grim picture with another view of the same LORD or Jehovah, who is the eternal self-existing, all powerful God, by reminding us of His grace and mercy. Grace of course, is God giving to sinful men such as we all are, that which we don’t deserve nor can we ever earn. Mercy on the other hand, is God holding back that which we DO deserve.

He states that the just or lawful man, who can only be made just by the grace of God, will celebrate with overwhelming joy because God has held back the punishment that he deserves and given him the position of a man made just by His choice alone.

This great and all powerful God, cares for the widow, and becomes the father of the orphan. He breaks the chains of those in the captivity of sin. He also leads His people as He did the children of Israel when they were brought out of the land of their slavery, Egypt.

Did you notice that God didn’t say that the religious person should sing and rejoice before the Lord?

He never mentions any of the world’s religions. He doesn’t say that those who do the best that they can has reason to celebrate. He doesn’t consider that those who are sincere have reason to rejoice.

He does say that those who are righteous or just may celebrate. Where does that righteousness or justification come from then? “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7)

Have you been justified by God’s magnificent Grace? If you have, you have much to rejoice about, but if not then call out to God to give you the faith to believe and trust His works alone. “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:12-13)

Erdmann Neumunster, (1671-1756) wrote this hymn that speaks of that rejoicing.